


The Other Side of Paradise

by doctorsimmonswilson



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Aliens Made Them Do It, Angst, Discussions of marriage, F/M, Mission Fic, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Outer Space, Post-Canon, Romance, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 00:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30080574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorsimmonswilson/pseuds/doctorsimmonswilson
Summary: Daisy and Daniel have spent the last two years exploring their relationship, and occasionally, outer space. A mission far from home goes awry, leaving them stranded in an unfamiliar time and place with no recollection of how they got there. It all seems to be resolved— until it happens again.
Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34





	The Other Side of Paradise

**Author's Note:**

> and the Doc is ba-ackkkk!! 
> 
> I’ve been wanting to write another long dousy story since Heartbeat came to a close. I’ve had this idea in mind for a while, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to format it until now. 
> 
> You can probably expect updates every other Tuesday as this is a very busy time in my life, and honestly these chapters are long AF. 
> 
> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> I’m really excited to share this with all of you, so please enjoy!

Daisy swears; her head pounds as she slowly comes back to consciousness. A sharp pain rises up the side of her left hand, and when she touches it with her left— blood, oozing out of her like a waterfall. The sight makes her feel the kind of ill that one does when faced with mortal peril— sick throughout the body. A throbbing, dull pain presses in on her temples, making it hard to keep her eyes open.

There’s a clamor a few feet away, so Daisy jerks her head, sending shockwaves of pain throughout her upper body. She lets out a relieved sigh as she sees the culprit of the noise-making. 

“Daniel,” she hurries over to her partner, her blood soaking his shoulder when she places her hand on it. He tilts his head up at her, his eyes screwed shut. Daisy presses a kiss to his forehead. 

“I think I hit my head,” he opens his eyes, but he seems unfocused and dizzy. She prays to no one in particular that he doesn’t have a concussion.  _ Like hell he doesn’t. _

“Your hand,” he rasps.

“I— how did we get here?”

“Daisy, your hand.” There it was. The thing that made her think he must’ve been born to be a protector, a leader. She tears off a piece of her shirt. He carefully wraps her hand up in the cotton. She’s proud of herself for only grimacing once. “Where the hell are we?”

“Good question.” Daisy studies the area.

“We’re in an alleyway. Pick a side?”

“Left,” Daisy says without thinking. She throws her back against the wall of the building unceremoniously, peeking out into the street. Across, Daniel does the same. He shakes his head, then comes over to Daisy. 

“It’s empty. I feel like I’m missing all the pieces.”

“Me too,” Daisy tightens the fabric around her bleeding hand, before looking up to study the street in front of them. “One minute we’re on Xandar and the next— what the hell?” She shouts.

“What?” Daniel flinches, covering his ears at her sudden outburst. 

“Sorry,” Daisy shakes her head. “I just thought I saw… no I definitely saw.” She furrowed her eyebrows, stepping further out of the alleyway. 

“Saw  _ what _ ?” Daniel blinks. 

“Some really old cars,” Daisy sucks in a breath. “Daniel?” She turns to Daniel. “What kind of car is that?”

“Just because I’m technically old does not mean— that’s a Bel-Air.” Daniel looks at Daisy, his expression pained. “Why is every car on the road… a car?”

“I don’t like this,” Daisy shudders. Daniel studies the road once more.

“You don’t think…”

“That we’re back on Earth somehow? Yes, Daniel, I do think that’s possible. We  _ were _ on an alien planet and  _ now _ we're  _ here _ and our team is stranded  _ there _ .”

“I’m moved past that, to be honest. I’m more stuck on that.” Daniel points out to the street. “Not a single car passing could’ve been made in the twenty-first century.”

“Oh,” Daisy says. “ _ Oh _ .”

“I can’t believe this.” Daniel shakes his head. Daisy turns to him. 

“I mean, the Xandarians… they had to have had some sort of time machine. But what could have…?”

“Their table. The holographic thing in the middle. It kept flickering. Showing different images of Xandarians. Maybe… I don’t know. You know I’m not an expert, but maybe their population wasn’t being displaced. Maybe they were sending them back in time.”

“Then why would they need us?”

“To bring  _ us _ back in time? Saving their civilization from a certain doom? What was that movie you showed me?”

“No, that’s too obvious. They were luring us for some reason. Probably me,” Daisy grimaces, tensing her shoulders. Daniel shakes his head. 

“We don’t know that. We don’t know anything.”

“Except for the fact that you knew exactly what kind of car that was,” Daisy says lightly. Daniel’s face falls and her heart breaks a little.

“Oh. So you think we’ve been sent to the fifties.”

“That’s what a damn time machine does,” Daisy says bitterly. She's almost surprised at how well her brain just adjusts to the idea. “Well, second time for everything,” Daisy shrugs her leather jacket further on her shoulders. At least she brought one comfort time with her. And well, Daniel was a pretty good comfort item. 

“Technically I’ve only traveled to the future,” Daniel supplies.

“I will hurt you,” Daisy glares at him, before digging into her pocket and pulling out her cellphone. “We’re going to have to leave this alleyway eventually. Damn it.” The phone screen has a big crack down the middle; smaller cracks are etched around it like spider webs. 

“What if they come back in ten minutes?”

“We only got  _ here _ — wherever here is— because no one had any idea that we were being set up. They’re not coming.”

“You’re right. Let’s go then.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere we can sleep off this awful day.”

“I’m sorry,” Daisy places a hand on his shoulder, then removes it. “But we have to figure out a way to contact home or something. What about your S.H.I.E.L.D. resources?”

“We can’t just walk into the office. I’m supposed to be in LA… or dead. We—“

“Let’s find somewhere to stay for the night, and work from there.”

“Good plan, Agent Johnson.”

“I have them from time to time, Agent Sousa.”

The pair disembarks, hurrying across the street towards a strip of shops. 

“This is New York. Even in 1950, there was never any city like it,” Daniel admires. Daisy wonders if he ever misses the simplicity of twentieth-century life. “We don’t exactly blend in,” Daniel takes in his tan dress pants and blue button down, and Daisy’s leather jacket, skinny jeans and long sleeve tee. 

“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore,” Daisy remarks. “Know any good stores?” 

“We can’t go somewhere I’d be recognized,” Daniel shrugs uncomfortably. “Up the street, three stores. I see a light.”

“Looks like a boutique to me,” Daisy sours. 

“You like thrift stores,” Daniel reminds her. 

“Whatever. I  _ had  _ to live off them for a while.” Daisy grabs his hand, dragging him with her to the store. They stall outside for a moment.

“Will I look insane going in there?” Daisy bites her lip.

“Don’t worry about it,” Daniel shakes his head. “We’ll must say you’re from Indiana.”

“Very funny,” Daisy rolls her eyes. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“Mhm,” Daniel grins, pushing and holding the door open for her. Bells jingle above their heads.

“Oh hello, my de—“ The woman, an older-looking woman, seems to stop in her tracks. She takes in Daisy and Daniel’s appearances and looks appalled. 

“We need… new clothes,” Daisy flashes the woman a smile. 

“We uh— we’re on our honeymoon.” Daniel puts his arm around Daisy’s waist. She grins nervously at the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper seems to recover from her initial shock, gesturing the pair in. 

“Oh my! Oh how wonderful. Well you’ve certainly come to the right place. Certainly, I have something for you. You my dear,” she looks directly in Daniel’s eyes, “must look to your right. There’s plenty of men’s clothes. You, dear, I have the perfect outfit for your honeymoon, come come.” The shopkeeper waves Daisy over to her. 

Daisy gives Daniel an only slightly mortified look before trailing along. Daniel sighs, looking along the wall of clothing. Daisy looks back at him. At least he’s comfortable with the fashion trends of the time. He picks out a dress shirt, a jacket and some pants. He seems to realize that he probably shouldn’t be wearing twenty-first century trainers either. Daniel grabs a pair of shoes from the shelf to his left. Daisy manages to find a pair of nude heels that don’t look completely uncomfortable. 

Daisy feels completely out of her element, sorting through, what to her, are vintage dresses. Daniel grins a little bit. Daisy comes back over to him with a simple purple skirt and a thick sweater. She grabs a dress shirt from the rack behind Daniel. The pair change into their appropriate clothing. 

“You look nice,” Daniel compliments. Daisy barely smirks at him. She instead presses a kiss to his lips.

“Not too bad yourself, Danny boy.” Daniel sighs at the nickname, before fishing his wallet out of his pocket. In that moment Daisy realizes she has no idea why he has it with him; she had only her cell phone on her. What’s that going to do for her now?

“I’ll meet you outside,” Daisy whispers, slipping out the door of the small store. She leans her back against the cool brick, before Daniel comes out a moment later. He holds up his hand; she barely realizes there’s something he’s holding until she sees the glint.

“We’re married, remember?” Daniel slips one of the rings on his own finger. “We don’t want to raise any suspicions that we’re having a torrid love affair when we get a hotel.”

“Oh.” Daisy nods. “Right.” She quickly grabs the rings, and slips them on the appropriate finger. She shivers, before grabbing his hand. They’d talked about marriage before, sure, but neither of them had been in any rush to tie the knot. Daisy liked the way the rings felt on his fingers, knowing that Daniel had bought them under the premise of them being married.

“Where do you suggest we stay?” Daisy looks to her partner.

“I’ve got an idea.” Daniel leads her, winding down the streets of New York City. They stop short.

Headlights. They nearly get hit by a car, flying down the street in front of a rather nice hotel. Daisy’s not sure she’s ever stayed somewhere so nice.

“How—?” She gives Daniel a questioning look.

“Inflation means we have way too much money for two people living off an— albeit generous— government salary.”

“We owe Mack a thank you card,” Daisy nods.

“Let me do the talking, please.”

“So, I take the lead with creepy alien races, you take the lead with sexist fifties pigs?” Daniel gives her an incredulous look. 

“Sure,” he waves a hand, signaling for her to follow him up to the hotel entrance. Daisy grabs the clothes he’s carrying from him, feeling a little bit like a laundry bin.

“Good evening sir,” the concierge nods at Daniel, “ma’am. How can I help you?”

“We need a room, please.”

“One for you and the lady?” The concierge tilts his head curiously at Daisy. 

“My wife,” Daniel supplies.

“Right! No disrespect, sir. You must understand that some men come to a place like to stay with their lovers rather than their—“

“Yeah, I catch your drift,” Daniel agrees. “Uh, and we’ll need a second key.”

“Don’t trust the wife not to lose it?”

“The wife doesn’t trust me,” Daniel says pointedly. The concierge gives him a small laugh. Daisy loses the conversation after that, studying the interior of the hotel. She wonders how much a room will cost here. Daniel comes back over to her and hands her a key. 

“Six dollars?” Daisy almost shouts, when he tells her, as they walk down the hallway. “Damn. So we’re posing as a wealthy married couple now?”

“Well the concierge certainly seemed to think so. So, yeah; whatever gets you through the night,” Daniel says with humor in his tone.They reach their door, and Daniel opens it for them. Daisy presses the door shut, then presses Daniel up against it. She locks it with a  _ click. _

“I love you,” she whispers, kissing him with fervor. 

“I love you too,” Daniel says quietly. Daisy wraps her arms around his middle.

“I’m exhausted. Why don’t we just sleep it off? We can figure it all out tomorrow.”

“Sounds good to me,” Daniel agrees. They quickly fall into the bed, dozing off. Daisy knows she could worry about a million things, but at least she’s not alone here. She’s got Daniel. They’ll keep each other safe.

❦❦❦❦❦

Daisy wakes up to Daniel’s warm hand pushing her hair out of her face. For a moment, it’s like everything is normal. Then she shoots up, her heart ticking much too fast.

“We’re in the 1950s,” she gives Daniel an exasperated look. Daniel nods.

“We are.”

“I hate everything,” she groans, flopping back onto the bed. Daniel sighs.

“We’re going to need another set of clothes. We can sleep—“ 

“Naked?” Daisy looks surprised. She snuggles herself into Daniel’s side. He lets out a sigh that she can’t quite read. 

“In the clothes we came here in. Though I’m not opposed to the idea,” Daniel grins cheekily. He looks to their right, towards the vanity table across from the foot of the bed. “Is there a calendar on there?” Daisy disentangles herself from her boyfriend, dragging her feet to the vanity.

“We probably should know when we are… yeah. There is.”

“What does it say?” 

“What were you doing on April 6th, 1955?”

“I— huh. I have no idea. I was probably working.” Daisy looks back at Daniel with a glint in her eye.

“How good were you at being in two places at once, Chief?”

“Better than I thought,” Daniel scoffs. Daisy grins.

“How do we know we haven’t erased the other you from existence?” Daniel’s mouth forms an ‘O’ before he frowns.

“We’re already playing with fire just being here, Daisy. Please don’t say things like that.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. It was premature of me,” she apologizes, rubbing Daniel’s back. “I’m just thinking out loud because I’m nervous.” 

“I know. Me too,” Daniel looks at her, and Daisy moves closer to him.

“What are we going to do?” She whispers. She doesn’t receive a response. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“What?” Daniel pulls away slightly to look at her. He brushes a piece of hair behind her ear.

“The fact that they’d sent us away after we’d already left. I wasn’t even in my Quake costume anymore. We were back on our ship. We stepped outside for two seconds to take in the scenery and bam! Suddenly we weren’t there anymore.” 

“Do you think they made a mistake?”

“Do you?” Daniel lies back on the bed.

“No. I think this was— for whatever reasons— completely on purpose.” Daisy looks down.

“Do we scrub the room? Keep moving?”

“I gave the concierge a fake name and paid in cash. We deserve a lie in.”

“I could get down with that,” Daisy grins, lying next to Daniel. 

  
  


❦❦❦❦❦

Daisy loses track of the hours without her phone. When she rolls out of Daniel’s arms and looks for a clock on the nightstand, she’s humbled by the actual clock in front of her. It takes her longer than she cares to admit to figure out that it’s two in the afternoon.

“Daniel,” she shakes his shoulder. “We have to do something. I don’t like the thought of wasting away in the nineteen fifties if I can help it.”

“Mhm, okay…”

“Daniel!”

“Alright, I’m up,” he swings himself up, wincing and grabbing his left thigh. “Damn it. I should’ve taken it off.” 

Daisy sighs, “Sorry, babe.”

“It’s not your fault. Let’s— you’re right. We have to help ourselves. We can’t exactly research…” 

“No internet. This stupid thing is useless,” she holds up her phone before dropping it into her lap.

“Or books,” Daniel points out. “Trust me, even S.H.I.E.L.D. had no idea there were aliens throughout outer space.”

“You would know, Chief of  _ Area 51. _ ”

“You have alien DNA, so I don’t want to hear it.”

“Fair point,” Daisy shrugs. She pulls herself off the bed, looking down at the screen on her phone. No internet, no cell reception; they had no way to contact the team back on… well wherever they are. For all she knows everyone was transported to a separate place. 

“How about I take you around 1950s New York?”

“Don’t be romantic. I’m serious; I’m not living my life out here.” 

“You’re too attached to your cell phone.”

“You sound like a suburban dad.”

“Well I’m serious too. Let me take you on a date, seeing as we have nothing better to do.” 

“I suppose…”

“Daisy.”

“Fine! Romance me, Daniel Sousa. If you must. But it better be somewhere with food because I’m starving.”

“I can make that work.” Daisy shoves their modern clothes into the hotel room dresser, and pulls on the sweater she’d taken off last night. 

“I never told you how much I like the way you look in fifties clothes,” Daisy looks at Daniel appreciatively. “Those pants make your butt look great.”

“You are awful. One minute you’re complaining, and the next you’re complimenting me. You have bad coping mechanisms,” Daniel makes a face at her.

Daisy snorts, “Yeah but we both knew that already.” The couple sets off down the hallway of the hotel, and takes a trip down on the elevator before reaching the hotel entrance.

“Evening, sir, ma’am,” the same concierge from the previous night tipped his hat to them. 

“Evening,” Daisy says politely. 

“I see you are enjoying your honeymoon, Mister and Missus Smith.” The man’s cheeks flush slightly.

“Right,” Daniel nods stiffly. “Off we go then.” When they get outside the doors, Daisy turns to her partner. 

“Was it really so common for men to have a mistress?”

“Most people in the fifties got married around twenty. That concierge saw a man in his thirties with a woman in her thirties who were a little too old to be newly married and without married kids; he probably assumed we had been divorced before.”

“When I was twenty I was homeless. No offense, but how did you live like that? I mean, how did anyone?”

“After the war, marriage, domesticity… they became idyllic. I wasn’t immune,” Daniel clears his throat. “When I proposed to my ex we’d dated for less than a year.”

Daisy hums in acknowledgment, “Right. I’m sure the S.H.I.E.L.D. life wasn’t helping anything either. I mean, look at Coulson. He gave up his whole life for the job. I’ve known people to treat it like a cause, but throwing your whole life behind it… I don’t know.” Daisy blushes a little when she realizes she’s drawn the topic closer to her own feelings about settling down than to Daniel’s life before— well before he met her.

“I never planned to. Then all of my relationships failed and I threw myself on top of my work.”

“Then we stole you,” Daisy grins, bumping his hip.

“That you did. You think we’ll be eighty and still running around space?”

“No,” Daisy presses her lips together amusedly, looking up at Daniel. “I don’t think so.”

Daniel brings Daisy to a quintessential fifties diner for lunch.

“I’ve been to one of these before,” Daisy recounts.

“You have?”

“Yeah. Right before we met; we stole a guy’s identity for Coulson to go undercover as.”

“Huh,” Daniel hums. He shrugs off his jacket as they take a seat. “Well, I figured you might like it. Plus it’s a little offbeat. No use having anyone spot us.”

“You’re worried that you’ll see someone you know?” Daisy quirks an eyebrow over her menu.

“I’m more worried we’re trapped in some sort of dream state created by the Xandarian rulers,” Daniel muses. Daisy begins to laugh, but abruptly stops upon seeing their waitress’ perplexed expression.

“A film we just saw,” Daisy explains coolly. 

“Peachy,” the waitress looks unimpressed; her lips draw into a thin line. “A day off from the kids? I know I could use one of those,” she says bitterly. 

“Yeah,” Daniel says cooly, but avoids Daisy’s eyes. 

“Hm, lucky you, then. What can I get you two to drink?”

“A coffee, please. No milk, just sugar,” Daniel says.

“Me too, but with milk—and sugar.” 

“Have you decided what you want to eat?”

“I’ll have the ham and swiss sandwich,” Daniel decides. Both he and the waiter look at Daisy expectantly. 

“Right,” she blinks. “I’ll have the tuna salad sandwich, I guess. Please.”

“Right away,” the waitress says, grabbing the couple’s menus and walking off. Daisy trails the waitress for a moment before staring out the window. 

“Are you alright?” Daniel asks, concerned. 

“Fine,” Daisy shrugs uncomfortably. They’re silent for a moment before Daisy decides to voice her mind. “Do you  _ want _ to get married? I mean—“

“To you? Yes.” Daisy’s mouth falls open. 

“How can you say that so mildly?”

“Do you  _ not _ want to get married?” 

“I— Daniel, I love you.” Daniel frowns. “I want to be with you— forever. Whatever that means. But I’ve only ever seen marriage end that. And maybe it was different in the fifties, but I don’t know how to be someone’s wife.”

“I’ve never been someone’s husband. And marriage doesn’t ruin a relationship. Look at Jemma and Fitz.” 

“Fitz  _ died _ like two days after they got married.”

“That’s not the whole truth.”

“But he  _ did _ die. At least, some version of him did. I just don’t understand why we’d need to get married. We love each other, we want to be together for the rest of our lives. Why isn’t that enough?” Daisy realizes she’s being a tad harsh to Daniel, and softens. “I have no doubts about this relationship… but I think marriage is a bad idea.”

“And I think that you’d be surprised. We don’t even have to have a wedding,” Daniel folds his hands on the table.

“You want a wedding,” Daisy says to remind both him and herself. “Don’t give that up for me.”

“What else am I supposed to do?” 

“I don’t know,” Daisy shrugs. “I don’t hate the idea of being married to  _ you _ . I just don’t like the idea of being married at all; it scares me.”

“So let it. But do it anyway. Didn’t using your powers scare you at first? Traveling in space?” 

“Is this really a conversation we should be having while stranded in what could perhaps be a fever dream and or a trap from an alien race?”

“We were bound to have it eventually.” Daisy studies Daniel for a moment, before the waitress brings their food and beverages over. 

  
  


❦❦❦❦❦

  
  


“Everything is so cheap here. I mean, compared to the twenty dollar shirts in 2021… I could get used to this,” Daisy whispers, sifting through a rack of ladies’ clothing.

“Well, keep it frugal, because I’ve got two twenties left and as nice as six dollars a night is, we’re not going to last another week without pulling funds out of my bank account.”

“You’ve thought about this,” Daisy turns to Daniel, holding a faded red dress against her chest.

“Well I don’t see an escape hatch, do you?”

“This can’t be easy. Coming back to this… having to adjust to the future is one thing, but having to readjust to the past…”

“I’ll be okay,” Daniel waves a hand. Daisy almost grins despite herself. For all their differences, the two of them certainly share one quality. 

“Don’t be a hero,” Daisy whispers, kissing his cheek. 

“Says you,” he scoffs, but he’s smiling. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Told you I wasn’t going anywhere,” Daisy winks. 

Eventually Daisy and Daniel both find adequate clothing for their suto-undercover suto-mission and head back to their hotel room to change. Then they find a real issue— the shower.

“There’s a tub. It’s not separate from the shower. I mean there’s no bar or anything…” Daniel trails off, looking defeated. Daisy looks at him, toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. 

“I’ve got an idea.” She dashes madly out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Looking up the appropriate number, Daisy dials.

“Hi, I’m going to need an extra shower curtain. And some duct tape.” 

“What are you doing?” Daniel’s cheek redden.

“Finding solutions to a problem I can actually fix. Simmons taught me this thing a while ago. Focus on the things you can fix, not the things you can’t.” When an extra shower curtain arrives, Daisy wraps the curtain around the chair that sits in the corner of the room. She tapes the plastic down to the wood.

“How in the world did you think of that?” Daniel marvels, helping her move it into the tub. 

“I saw the shower earlier. I figured if you wanted help you’d ask. Or you’d do what you did, and refuse to ask for help, but let me know you needed it,” Daisy shrugs. “It’s not perfect.” She frowns slightly at her creation.

“I love you,” Daniel places his hands on Daisy’s cheeks, and Daisy closes her eyes for a moment.

“Wherever we are,” she promises, “and whatever is happening, we will make it out the other side. Even if we’re in an alien dream state.”

“Agreed,” Daniel lets out a blissful laugh. Daisy feels a warmth fill her chest. She hadn’t heard that laugh since they’d arrived in the fifties. Eventually they break apart and wash up. Daniel coaxes Daisy to join him in the bath. She really doesn’t take much convincing.

“I have to admit, it is nice not having any responsibilities.” Daisy leans her head against chest.

“You’re itching to figure this out and get home.”

“I haven’t used a computer in two _ days _ , Daniel. That’s a world record for anyone born after 1985.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Daisy considers pushing her elbow into his abdomen for good measure, but she decides she’s too comfortable for that and just lets her mind wander.

“Why wait until we’re done with the meeting? We hadn’t even fought them,” Daisy breaks their calm silence.

“Have we considered that this was a trap? I mean, for all we know, we were lured to Xandar as a trap, and then sent back in time… or through the multiverse… or— it doesn’t matter. How do we know they didn’t mean for this to happen exactly as it is?”

“I’m not sure that alien races that are actively trying to sabotage you plan on letting you enjoy a nice bath with your girlfriend, Daniel.”

“Oh. That wouldn’t make sense, would it?”

“What if we’re stuck here forever?” Daisy says, quieter this time.

“Then we’ll be stuck here forever.”

“I’ll never see Kora, or Jemma, or Coulson, or—“

“If we get stuck here I’ll have to kill my alternate self.”

“What?” Daisy demands, her slight laughter rattling against his chest. “I can’t believe— I can’t—“ Daisy cuts herself off as the pair fall into peals of laughter. It’s his laughter, Daisy thinks, that calms her nerves more than anything. She sobers after a moment. “I mean that seriously. I can’t live here, Daniel. It wouldn't be the same for me as it was for you,” Daisy says, more mildly, more relaxed. 

“For all we know, we’re leaving tomorrow,” Daniel brushes Daisy’s hair behind her shoulders. He presses a kiss to her hair.

“Yeah,” Daisy sighs. She’s just glad he can’t see her unconvinced face. If there was a problem, Daisy was going to figure it out. And then she was going to break all the rules to fix it. 

❦❦❦❦❦

  
  


Daisy woke up the next morning feeling oddly refreshed. Dinner, a bath, and a solid eight hours of sleep did her well. Daniel too, she supposes, who is beginning to look chirpier than he had been. Daisy felt more than slightly anxious, however, about the prospect of spending yet another day stranded across spacetime. 

“When— if— we get home, I vote we go on a really

nice vacation. For like, a long time,” Daisy suggests, flopping onto the bed, dressed in her new red dress, and a tight-fitting jacket. “Also, I’m wearing a lot of sweatpants. Also, I’m watching a lot of television.”

“Sounds good, sweetheart,” Daniel flops down right next to her, dressed in a tan suit. “But for now what are we going to do?”

“Wither?” Daisy measly suggests, burying her face under a throw blanket.

“We could see a show. Or we could create fake identities and start a whole new life, join a spy agency, invent time tr—“

“I hate you,” Daisy groans. 

“No, you don’t,” Daniel says, kissing her cheek. “I’m sorry. I wish I had a solution.” Daisy sighs, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> catch me on tumblr: @angry-slytherin


End file.
